Breakdown Your Smith & Wesson
The Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm is an excellent gun for self-defence, as well as for target shooting and competition. It's also one of the most accessible handguns to clean and maintain. But if you own this weapon, you must know How to care for your M&P 9MM to retain it for longer.

Disassembly

  • Disassemble the gun: unload it, remove the magazine, and ensure there's nothing in the chamber.
  • Check out the slide stop lever, firing pin block, and trigger bar.

Frame

Since the M&P 9mm is a semi-automatic pistol, it has a frame containing all its major components. The structure houses the firing mechanism and holds all other parts in place so they can function correctly. You should clean this part thoroughly before disassembling or cleaning it to ensure it doesn't get damaged during either process.

To clean your Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm frame:

  • Remove the magazine by pulling the magazine release button directly behind your thumb while gripping your gun with both hands (or using one hand if you prefer). If any rounds are left in your weapon's chamber, remove them before proceeding with this step!
  • Disengage the slide stop lever by pushing it until it clicks into place (you'll know when it does since there won't be any more resistance when trying to move it).
  • Push down on both sides of your takedown lever until they meet each other at their tips, and then pull back on them simultaneously until they separate from one another entirely (this will cause tension inside your weapon). Now twist off each side piece by hand until both parts have been obliterated from their respective locations within this component's housing unit. Take care not to lose them because you'll need them again later.

Slide and Barrel

You'll need to remove both pieces from your pistol to clean the slide and barrel. The first step is to remove the barrel by unscrewing it from the receiver.

To remove the slide, use a cleaning rod and push it through an opening on either side of the frame where it meets with that metalwork section. Once you've done so, gently pull back on one end until only one side remains attached. Push down on this side while pulling up on your other hand's grip and remove entirely from the main body of the gun (make sure not to lose any parts!).

Now that both pieces are detached place them onto a soft cloth or towel for easy cleaning later in this process.

Reassembly

Once you've finished cleaning your Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm, reassemble it in reverse order. Remember to put the recoil spring back in and remember to put the slide stop lever back in. You also need to make sure you put the extractor back in before you put everything else back on, or else it won't work.

Conclusion

The M&P is a great gun, and if you know how to care for your M&P 9MM, you can be sure it will last a long time. Keep the above points in mind, and you will face less difficulty operating the gun.